Can-tester.



E. V. SWANGREN.

GAN TESTER.

Patented 0013. 6, 1908.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17,1907.

fifa: 'neig STATES PATENT oEEIcE.

EDWIN V. swANGREN, oF MAYwooD, ILLINOIS,l AssIGNoE To AMERICAN cAN COMPANY, 0E

. l NEW YQEK, N. Y., A vcoEromrIIoN 0E NEW JERSEY.`

cAN-TEs'rEn Spcification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 6, 1908.*

. Application ldd Iuneiil, 1907. vSerial No. 879,859.

To'all-whom 'it mayconcern: l i B e 1t known that I, EDWIN V. SWANGREN, a citizen4 of the UnitedStates, `resijdin -in Maywood, in the county rof "Cook and tate' vices for testing the strength of can seams-l and the hermetical tightness `of cans.

T he object. of my invention is to provide a device of a s1mple,l eiiicient and durable construction, by means of which after a can has been hermetically sealed, whether filled,` or unfilled, the hermetic tightness .of the can can be readilyascertained, and also the strength or resisting power of its seams;

In canning factorles, spoiled cans, ordinarily called swell heads, may be either due to a leaky canor imperfectionof 'its seams, or to improper pr Aimperfect sterilization of the contents of the can; vand it isa matter of great importance as wellas convenience to havesome means or device for easily and quickly testing` or determining whether the swell head is due to a defective can or to defective sterilization or other cause; and -in thev practical manufacture and use of cans, it is-also frequently very desirable to have some easy and convenient meansfor testing the strength `of* the seams of cans in order tof` determine whether the cans of a particular construction can be` safely relied upon to stand4 the internal or bursting pressure to which the causare necy essarily subjected in the cooking or process.

ing operations of the Cannery. I

My nvention consists in the means I have devised and employfor meeting this want or accomplishing this object or result asherein shown and described, and more particularly specified in the claims.

In thelaccompanylng drawing lforming a part of this specification, Figure, is a side elevation partlyin vertical section of a can tester embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section. Fig. 3 isa front elevation. Fig.` 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 5 is a section-on line 5-'5 of Fig. 2.

In the plunger having an arrow or puncturing head A1 adapted to bereadily inserted through the top or bottom head w of the sheet metal can X, and -thengiven a partial turn soA that drawing, JA represents a' hollow ythe'shoulders a of the wings a1 of the puncturing head A1 will engage the can head adjacent to the un'ctureor opening formed therein by the Insertion of the head,

B is a movable sealing head having a sealing pad B1, preferably of rubber, surroundingthepuncturing head A1 ofthe hollow plunger A so. as -to hermetically seal the uncture or opening in the can formed there- 1n -by the insertion of the puncturing head' A1.

VCis the operating lever connected by links C* with the sealing head Band connected by a pivot `C2 with a -nut or fulcrum block C3' secured to thev hollow plunger A preferably by screw threads.V

:D isa hollow couplingfhaving a passage d communicating with the hollow plunger A, a passage? d* communicating with zan air pump F, a passage d2 communicating with a pressure -gage G, and a passage d3 communi- 'eating with Van-exhaust valve. I-I. A check valve K is inserted between the air-pump,` F i or-other source of compressed air and the coupling D. `The air pumpv F is preferably connected by a flexible pipe f with the threaded shell lc' of the valve K` The pressure gage G may be vofjanysuit- 'able construction, commonly in use. It, however, is preferably onehaving a. dial g and indicating hand g1. The pressure gage hasl a threadednipple gzconnected to the coupling D. Y

In operation, the puncture head A1 of the hollowy lunger 'A is first insertedthrough the hea `orother'part of the can,'and then givena partial turn so that the shoulders a of the wings a1 of the head will properly engage the can-head adjacent' to theopemng therein formed by the-wingsof the puncture head. The` operating lever C is thenmoved and the sealin l'head `B firmly vclamped against-the can ead surrounding the punc-V ture opening therein.A vThe `ump is then-operated until the gage G indicates thedesired internal pressurein the can. If the can is perfect'and hermeticall tight, the finger of. theupressure gage wil remain stationary.

If, however, `itis a defective orV leaky can,

air will escape therefrom through the' leak and will bev indicated by vhejreduction of pressure `showriby' the' n erof .the pressure gage, andthe position o the leak can also be readily located from .the escaping air. If the apparatus is beingnsed for testing the strength of soldered or folded seams of "were attempted to remove the puncture-head After the can Vhas been tested, in order to remove the device from the can, the release valve is opened thus permitting the puncture head A1 to be readlly removed `from the punctured head of the can through the open- 1ng therein in which it was inserted. If it from the can without first releasing the pressure, it would be diilicult to turn the head in the can into registerin position with the opening, so that it coul be withdrawn, and when so turned, it would be liable to be shot out with violence or destructive effect if the internal pressure were heavy.

I claim l. Acan tester device comprising in combination a hollow plunger having a puncturehead furnished with shouldered wings adapted to be pushed through the head or other wall of the can, a movable sealing head surrounding the puncture-head, means for operating and locking the sealing-head to clamp the punctured wall of the can surrounding the puncture-head, an air pump and a pressure gage, and two connections from said hollow plunger, one to said pressure gage and the other to said pump substantially as specified.

2. A can tester device comprising a hollow plunger having a puncture-head with shouldered wings, a sealing head, means for operating the sealing-head and a pressure gage communicating wlth the hollow plunger, and two connections from the interior of said puncture head, one to said pressure gage and the other adapted for communication with a source of compressed air substantially as specified.

3. A can tester device comprising a hollow plunger having a punctureehead with shouldered wings, a sealing-head, means for operating the sealing-head and a pressure gage communicating with the hollow plunger, and a source of compressed air communicating with the hollow plunger, and two connections from said hollow plunger, one to said gage and the other to the source of compressed air substantially as specified.

4f. A can tester device comprising a hollow plunger having a puncture-head with shouldered wings, a sealing-head, means for operating the sealing-head and a pressure gage communicating with the hollow plunger, a source of compressed air communicating with the hollow plunger, and a release valve, and two connections from said hollow plunger, one to said gage and the other to the source of compressed air substantially as specified.

5. In a can tester, the combination with a hollow plunger having an arrow puncturehead with shouldered wings, a sealing-head furnished with a sealing-pad surrounding the puncture-head, a lever and link for operating the sealing-head, the lever being pivotally connected to the hollow plunger, a coupling having a passage communicating with the hollow plunger, another passage adapted to communicate with a source of compressed air and another passage adapted to comlnunicate with a pressure gage, substantially as specified.

G. In a can tester, the combination with a hollow plunger having an ,arrow puncturehead with shouldered wings, a sealing-head furnished with a sealing-pad surrounding the puncture head, a lever and link for operatlng the sealing-head, the lever being pivotally connected to the hollow plunger, a coupling having a passage communicating with the hollow plunger, another passage adapted to communicate with a source of compressed air, another passage adapted to communicate with a ressure gage, and another passage adapted to communicate with a release valve, substantially as specified.

7. In a can tester, the combination of hollow plunger A, having puncture-head A1 with shouldered wings a1, sealing head B having sealing pad B1, operating lever C pivotally connected to said hollow plunger A, a connecting link C1 between said operating lever C and sealing head B, coupling D havin@- passages d d1 'cl2 and d3, and pressure gage C, substantially as specified.

8. In a can tester, the combination of hollow plunger A, having puncture head A1 with shouldered wings a1, sealing head B having sealing pad B1, operating lever C pivotally connected to said hollow plunger A, a connecting link .C1L between said operating lever C and sealing head B, coupling D having passages d d1 Z2 and d3, pressure gage G and air pump F, substantially as specified.

9. In a can tester, the combination of hollow plunger A, having puncture head A1 with shouldered wings a1, sealing head B having sealing pad B1, operating lever C pivotally connected to said hollow plunger A, a connecting link C1 between said operating lever C and sealing head B, coupling D having passages d d1 d2 da, pressure gage G, air pump F and release valve H, substantially as specied.

10. In a can tester, the combination with a puncture -head, adapted to be inserted through and locked against the wall of a can, of a movable sealing-head surrounding the puncture-head, and a lever and link for operating the sealing head substantially as specified.

1l. In a can tester, the combination with` a puncture-head, adapted to be inserted through and locked against the wall of a can, of a movable sealing-head surrounding the puncture-head, and a lever and link for operating the sealing-head to clamp the punctured wall of the can between itself on the outside and the puncture head on the in side, and two branch connections from the interior of said puncture head, one adapted for connecting with the pressure gage and the other for connecting vwith a source of compressed air substantially as specified.

12. In a can tester, the combination with a puncture -head, adapted to be inserted through and locked against the wall of a can, of a movable sealing head surrounding the puncture. head, means for operating the sealing head to clamp the punctured wall of -puncture head, one adapted, for connecting with the pressure gage and the other for connecting with a source of compressed air substantially as specified. f

EDWIN V. sWANGREN.

Witnesses:

R. L. DRAKE, W. H. ANTHONY. l 

